who is afraid of the big bad so-called fiscal cliff? maybe it should be termed the nice gradual fiscal slope. we've certainly heard a lot of ceos and other financial cassandras in recent weeks prove size doom if it a deal isn't cut by year's owned. but washington, both side have dug in their heels, and the answer may be that suddenly the sliding down the fiscal slope does not seem that bad. maybe that's why the republicans leaders like speaker of the house john boehner were able to put off making a counter proposal to the president's offer until today. crossing the red line on the talks by rejecting the demind that the republicans accept a hike in the marginal tax rate for those with income over a quarter million dollars a year. my view? obviously i agree with the white house on the substance and as i have said before, their hand gets stronger over time. but sometimes a new idea can change the dynamic. here is an idea that has been around for a long time, supported by james tobin way back and pushed by ralph nadar in a "washington post"